Reds' Stars Went Down in Pittsburgh and Nobody in the League Is Ready For It

Holy smokes, did you guys see what went down in Pittsburgh yesterday? The Cincinnati Reds took a massive hit, and I'm talking about more than just their 9-4 loss to the Pirates. Their lineup, already a tough out, just got a whole lot shakier with two key players getting dinged up. This is the kind of stuff that can absolutely change the vibe for a team, even early on. Talk about unexpected drama hitting the league hard!

Cincinnati's Lineup Just Got a Whole Lot Spookier

Man, Sunday was brutal for the Reds. First off, their designated hitter, Eugenio Suarez, took a Mitch Keller fastball right to the left hand in the sixth inning. Ouch! He just crushed a game-winning three-run homer on Saturday to beat the Pirates 9-7, so this is a huge blow. His X-rays came back inconclusive because of swelling, and now he's gotta get a CT scan today. "Right now it feels a lot better than when I got hit," Suarez said after the game, adding, "It was painful, but now I feel lot better, so I pray to God nothing comes up on the CT scan." You gotta feel for the guy!

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And then there's Elly De La Cruz. The shortstop sprained his ankle on a swing in the fifth inning, grounding into a double play and not even running to first. He stayed in the game after getting checked out, but manager Terry Francona admitted, "It kind of stiffened up while we were in here. We'll re-evaluate him, too, and see how he's doing." Losing two guys like that in one day, right before a big series? That's just rough.

Brewers' Pitching Is Unstoppable, But Their Bats Are a Head-Scratcher

Now, let's talk about the Brewers, who are about to host these banged-up Reds for a four-game series starting tonight. Milwaukee's pitching has been absolutely insane, carrying them to a 4-2 record over their last six games. We're talking about starters allowing just 13 hits, racking up 48 strikeouts, and combining for a microscopic 0.82 ERA in that stretch. They even held the Reds to a measly six total runs last week!

But holy cow, their bats with runners in scoring position? It's like watching a totally different team. They were a pathetic 2-for-12 with RISP in a 4-3 extra-innings loss to the Cubs on Sunday, which was their second straight defeat after a five-game winning streak. Over their last two series, they're a miserable 6-for-51, including a mind-boggling 1-for-23 in their three-game sweep of the Reds last week! Designated hitter Christian Yelich summed it up pretty well, saying, "Trying harder and wanting it more isn't going to make it happen. Everybody wants to get the job done. ... It's just, oftentimes you have to slow that down and try to focus. The other team knows what they have to do to execute in that situation, too, right? We're just going through a rough stretch of it." It's almost unbelievable, given how good their pitching is.

What's Coming Up: Can Milwaukee Capitalize?

So tonight, the Brewers send Robert Gasser (1-3, 4.50 ERA) to the mound. He’s faced the Reds once before, taking a loss back in September 2025 after giving up four runs (none earned) on four hits in 2 2/3 innings. But he looked sharp in his last outing, getting the win against the Braves on June 21, allowing just two runs on four hits and fanning seven in Milwaukee's 9-4 road victory. He'll be up against Nick Lodolo (2-2, 5.59 ERA) for the Reds, who just took a comebacker off his left wrist in his last start, a 2-0 loss to the Brewers. He's actually got a decent history against Milwaukee, 1-1 with a 2.52 ERA in seven career appearances. This series kicks off tonight, and it's gonna be wild to see if the Brewers' pitching can keep dominating, if their bats wake up, and how those Reds injuries play out. Talk about some early season drama, folks!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.